02:33 - VIGJust sayin' I remember nikarg's Sodom review on the front page, that album was like 30 years old

02:27 - ScreamingSteelUSTechnically, Che's Manunkind review was too old to be featured on the front page. That was a special exception; usually, we prefer to keep our reviews within three-to-four months, with six months as an absolute cutoff.

02:14 - VIG@Radu Of course! I don't think it's too old to be featured on the front page. Look at Che's Manunkind review

00:09 - RaduPPublished a review for an album that's a bit too old to be featured on the front page, but you guys will read it, right? [link]

Disc II[2006 Expanded Edition]01. Back On The Ground [Previously Japan Only bonus]02. A Game We Shouldn't Play [Taken from 'I Can' single]03. Perfect Gentleman [Live Bootleg Version. Taken from 'Hey Lord!' single]04. Moshi Moshi Shiki No Uta [Live Drum Solo. Taken from 'Hey Lord!' single]

Now, this Helloween lot. A bit unreliable aren't they? They change from album to album, not necessarily always in a good way. "The Time Of The Oath", this album's predecessor was an out and out Power Metal record, more to the style of their original "Keepers..." albums than the albums that came before it. After "…Oath" came this album, "Better Than Raw", and by comparison it is unfocused and patchy. This is still a good album with some classic Helloween tunes on it however. It just isn't as good as its predecessor and, like I said beforehand, suffers from a lack of focus a little bit. The lack of focus doesn't relate to the fact that there is a wider array of styles on this album, it is a good thing that there is variety and that they did not make another album exactly like "…The Oath". But most of the time, it simply feels as if it's a bunch of sounds and ideas thrown all over the place, and as a result the album does not feel as complete or as cohesive as "…The Oath", or hey, even "Master Of The Rings". In fact I don't think I would be exaggerating in saying that this at times feels like a superior b-sides and rarities album. But, as I have said before, this is not a bad album, not at all. The unfocused nature of the album does take the shine away a bit, but underneath this glaring problem is some excellent songs and good variety. Some of the excellent tracks on this album include "Push", which has a blistering main thrashy riff and some excellent nasty high pitched vocals. Push is quickly followed by another classic, "Falling Higher", which is all-in-all an utterly typical Helloween song. It's chorus and basically the melody throughout the song is unbelievably catchy and powerful. "Revelation" is another awesome track with a heavier sound, like Push before it. It also has a great melody, coupled with some fine restrained vocal work from Deri. Also of note is the slow, but excellent, almost slightly depressing "Time" and the endlessly 'humable' and happy sounding "Lavdate Dominum".

Now, what about the performances? Well, everybody here seems in particularly fine form, and Andri Deri's vocals seem higher in the production this time around. He gets more of a chance to shine, and given the variety of the material on hand, he gets a chance to show off his range. Although I don't think he is anywhere near Michael Kiske's league, he does a damn fine job here, managing to be powerful, emotional and sometimes even slightly menacing when the situation calls for it. The axe-work on this album is maybe just a little better than "…The Oath", although the riffs aren't quite as memorable. Overall, this is a very good album, with some great songs but as I have said before, lacks real focus, and suffers a little bit because of it. It also contains a couple of very weak tracks, such as "Hey Lord" and "I Can". Mainly good stuff all-round though, and a worthy addition to any Power Metal collection.

Comments

I like a lot this album, there are some good variations, as the incredible "Push", the funny "Lavdate Dominvm", and a darker sound (more evident in the next "The Dark Ride") as in "Revelation" and "Midnight Sun"... So I'd rate 8 in originality...
And again, great songs as "Hey Lord" and "Falling Higher"... So 9 in songwriting...
And a 9 in overall impression... But this is only my opinion

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"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear,
and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."
Howard Phillips Lovecraft

I like this one a lot, especially the introduction track that I find simply excellent, one of the best intro track ever made (or let's say, that I've ever heard).

I dislike Push, because they "pushed" too much on this one
But the rest of the album is great, I remember I enjoyed songs like A Handful Of Pain, Hey Lord!, Time, even the über simple I Can, terribly efficient.

No really, the only problem I've got with Better Than Raw is... where the hell did I put this CD? Can't find it anymore...

----La belleza no reside en lo que puedas crear, sino en lo que eres capaz de transmitir
Beauty resides not in what you're able to create, but in what you're able to communicate

haha - this is my least favorite because of tracks like 'I Can' and 'Hey Lord!'
they are just too simple and unimaginitive for my liking..
those two i would consider the worst two on the album but the majority of the others tracks i do enjoy a lot.. its just the few seemingly uninspired ones that drag it down for me

is a really nice disk-songs like falling higher,revelation,laudate dominum,midnight sun arent been written every day!I wish weikath would be writing all the songs....helloween magic lives on...8,5 for me

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Don't turn away just take my hand and when you make your final stand i ll be right there i ll never leave all i ask of you is believe...

This is Helloween's most creative and heavy input. The variety stretches far and wide here. I Can is one of the best songs off the album. The Production is by far the best the band has ever had.

Better Than Raw is by far their best album, and showed a glimpse of how far Helloween can take their music and expand it. Nothing on this album is "typical", and their sound is vastly improved. Too bad they had to make bland outings such The Dark Ride and Rabbit Don't Come Easy that show just how low they can sink.

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"If there hadn't been women we'd still be squatting in a cave eating raw meat, because we made civilization in order to impress our girl friends. And they tolerated it and let us go ahead and play with our toys."
- Orson Welles

6 for originality? This is one of the most creative of Helloween albums in long time...

I understand that the reviewer thinks there is a lack of focus due to this, but lack of originality is not a problem for this album.

Have to say.. this is their best since debut imo Classic cover art also!

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----member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/

It gets six for originality because even despite it being one of their most creative albums, and diverse, it IS simply the band pooling all the sounds they have dealt with over the years and doing them in a slightly more updated style, I think i was actually being generous with a six!